Evaporation apparatus



Oct. 30, 1951 H. E. REINHARDT EVAPORATION APPARATUS Filed March 9, 1949 INVENTOR. j P/m/v f. Few/MP0:

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 30, 1951 EVAPORATION APPARATUS Herman E. Reinhardt, Hasbrouck Heights, N. J assignor to Boyle-Midway Inc., Jersey City, N. J a corporation of Delaware Application March 9, 1949, Serial No. 80,363

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a wick-holder and more particularly involves a wick-holder for an evaporating apparatus to be used for deodorizing purposes.

Known evaporating devices utilizing a wick appear to depend on the use of a wire wickholder which in the operable position is withdrawn with the wick from the container and is held in the withdrawn position by frictional engagement of the wire arms of the wick-holder with the inner portion of the container. There are certain disadvantages in devices of this nature, the most obvious being in the fact that weight of the wick and the absorbed fluid tends to cause the wick and wick-holder to fall back into the container. This is especially true after a relatively long period of use since the wire can be easily bent just sufficiently to lose its frictional grip within the neck of the container. Another, and more serious, disadvantage lies in the difficulty of manufacture and assembly of the frictional engagement devices. It has been found that unless the wire legs squarely abut each other and crossing of the legs is avoided,v frictional engagement of the unit within the neck of the container cannot be maintained.

The present invention is an improvement in wick-holders for its main object the positive positioning of the wick and holder so that they cannot slide back into the container.

Another object is to provide a wick support which can be easily removed from the container, mounted thereon for use, and returned to the container at will.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be made to the accompanying drawing in which certain embodiments of the invention have been illustrated.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the deodorizer container with the wick and wick-holder within the container when not in use;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the deodorizer container with the wick and Wick-holder shown in use, the wick-holder resting on the neck of the container and the wick extending from the loop near the top of the holder to substantially near the bottom of the container;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view, with the cap removed;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of a preferred form of the wick-holder;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the wick-holder shown inFig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the wick-holder taken at the line 66 inFig. 4;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged sectional view of the wickholder taken at the line 'l'! in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, the bottle I, as shown in both Figs. 1 2, comprises a liquidholding portion 2 and a relatively smaller diameter neck portion 3. The liquid-containing section holds the deodorizer liquid l, and, when the deodorizer is not in use as shown in Fig. 1, it is closed by a cap 5 having a gasket closure 6. The cap may be attached in any suitable manner, the usual screw type being illustrated- Within the container as illustrated by Fig. 1 and completely enclosed thereby when not in use is shown the wick-holder 1 and the wick 8.

The wick-holder 1, shown in detail in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and '7 comprises a tab or lifting head 9 generally proportioned for easy grasping and lifting. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, its diameter is such as to approximate the width of the neck.v

The tab also is provided with an aperture or slot l0 sufficiently large to accommodate a wick 8 which is looped therethrough as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

The wick-holder is provided with resilient legs I l which are positioned to the head in spaced relationship as shown in Fig. 4. A strengthening fin or Web is shown at l2, but it may be pointed out that this is provisional, depending on the material of which the Wick-holder is made and the necessity therefor. While a preferred material for the wick-holder is a plastic such as cellulose acetate or nitrate or polystyrene Or any suitable plastic of like nature, the wick-holder may be made of metal tape or wire, or even vulcanized rubber Or wood, provided sufficient resiliency is present to permit the legs to be pressed together and to return to their original position on release of pressure. It will be noted that the legs should be of sufficient length and the overalllength of the wick-holder should be such that it will naturally remain in a substantially upright position when fully within the container. In this position, noting Figs. 1 and 3, the total length is such that the lifting head is easily grasped for withdrawal.

In orderto keep the wick-holder in a withdrawn position on the deodorizer container as. illustrated in Fig. 3, a bowed-out portion is provided at an intermediate point on the legs, as illustrated at l3 in Fig. 4. The amount of bowing given to the legs is such that the width at this point is somewhat greater than the diameter of the deodorizer container neck 3. By .this

tle.

permits compression so that this enlarged sec- 3 tion may pass therethrough. After passage through the neck, the resiliency should be such as to permit the legs to return to their original position.

As illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the

bowed-out section l3 is shown at M as curving outwardly and downwardly and at l5 as curving outwardly and upwardly to meet the down-flaring portion. This construction is provided-in order to permit easier withdrawal and entry through the relatively narrow neck of the container. Pressure of the flared portions On the container neck causes the resilient legs to mov inwardly with ease.

It should be noted that the construction of the enlarged section need not be limited tothat shown at l3 in Fig, 4. For example, the curves [4 and I5 shown in Fig. 4 may be merely straight lines extending downwardly and upwardly respectively to form angular projections which would operate in substantially the same manner as. described. Again, one may provide relatively straight legs having opposed beads, buttons or knobs on each leg so that the overall width of the holder at the enlarged intermediate section is greater than the diameter of the container neck. With this modification, the holder, when withdrawn into operative position will rest on the top of the container with the under-portion of the beads, buttons or knobs directly in contact with the upper neck rim. However, whether the suggested modifications or the more preferred flaring legs are used, the extensions should be such that pressure thereon will permit the legs to compress easily. In addition, there should be sufficient area to adequately support the wick and wick-holder on the container rim.

The location of the enlarged or widened section on the resilient legs of the wick-holder depends upon the amount of exposed wick desired for evaporational effect and, in addition, should be so located that sufficient length is retained below the widened area to prevent undue tilting when the holder is in operative position.

The wick 8 is looped through the slotted tab ID of the wick-holder in such a manner that at least one leg thereof will extend substantially to the bottom of the container when the wick and wick-holder is in operational use as shown in Fig. 2; In dimensions, the length of the wick depends on the amount of evaporational surface desired, the amount of loop, and the size of the container itself while the width should be some- \what less than the diameter of the opening to permit ease of re-entry and withdrawal. In order to hold the wick in place, fastening means is provided, Fig. 2 showing a metal staple IE5 at the bowed section, but it is obvious that the fastening may be at other points and any suitable means of fastening may be used such as stitching, if so desired. The wick itself may be of woven, braided or felted material of any type provided it is capable of functioning. to absorb liquid and permit its evaporation when in 6X?- posed position.

In order to operate the deodorizer, the cap 5 and closure .6 are removed and the lifting head 9 of the wick-holder 1 is grasped and pulled upwardly, wick and wick-holder from the container. As the wick-holder is withdrawn the outwardly curved portions of the legs press against the reduced opening in the neck of the container causing thelegs to move inwardly and thereby perwithdrawing the liquid-saturated mitting the enlarged section [3 to pass through the neck 3. As soon as passage is completed, the legs H and the bowed section 1-3 spring back to their original position and the wick-holder now rests on the upper rim of the container. Despite the weight of the Wick and the absorbed fluid, the wick-holder remains in extended position. Until a positive downward pressure on the tab .9 forces the legs together again and reduces the width at l3 sufficiently to permit re-entry of the holder back into the bottle, the wick and wick-holder remain in operable position as long as desired.

In operation, liquid within the container is absorbed by the wick and moves upwardly by capillary action. Where the wick is open to the atmosphere, in the manner shown in Fig.2, evaporation takes, place permitting space perfume ing and deodorizing, this action continuing as long as liquid is available for wetting the wick.

The liquid composition, suitable for the pur-. pose described, is well-known and requires no detailed description here. In general, it comprises as essential elements a perfuming agent in a relatively volatile liquid base. Many suitable compositions are known to the art.

Many modifications falling within the scope of the invention will be apparent to one skilled,

in the art. It will be obvious, for example, that the container may be of any desired shape and configuration. For instance, the entire container may have substantially vertical walls provided the wick-holder has one section which is.

of greater diameter-than the upper rim of the,

container when the legs of the holder are permitted to expand outwardly on release of pres.- sure. As a further modification, the tab 9 may be directly attached to the cap 5, so that on re! moval of the cap, the wick and wick-holder can be withdrawn simultaneously therewith. By this last modification one can thus avoid the possibility of accidentally wetting the fingers with the deodorizing fluid.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

In a container having a liquid holding section and a smaller neck outlet, a wickholder comprising a head and legs, said legs being substantially parallel and equispaced except at. a midsectional portion, the legs at said midsectional portion being laterally spaced apart a greater distance than the diameter of the container outlet and the remaining outer portions of the legs, and at the same distance from the head, so that the holder is capable of resting on the upper surface of the container neck by the engagement of the widest,

HERMAN E. REINHARDT.

v REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in thefile' of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 525,646 Cox -f Sept. 4, 1894 2,452,424 Bell Oct. 26, 1948; 2,4 5

Wheeler et a1. an" June 28, 11949 

